Gibbie Harris has had a distinguished career in public health, spanning nearly four decades. She began her journey in healthcare as a nurse, inspired by a family legacy of health professionals, including her grandfather, grandmother, and other relatives who were physicians and nurses.
Harris earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1976 and later obtained a Master of Science in Public Health. She played a pivotal role in establishing Caldwell County Hospice Incorporated in 1982, serving as its first employee and helping to build the program from the ground up.
Throughout her career, Harris served as the Public Health Director for several North Carolina counties, including Wake, Buncombe, and Mecklenburg. In these roles, she addressed various public health crises, such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In 2017, she came out of retirement to lead Mecklenburg County’s Public Health Department, where she navigated challenges like a Hepatitis A outbreak in 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership during the pandemic made her a trusted voice in the community, providing regular updates and guidance.
Harris retired at the end of 2021, leaving behind a legacy of strengthened public health initiatives. In March 2023, she joined Northeastern University in Charlotte as a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor at the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, contributing her extensive experience to the Master of Public Health program. Harris now consults and builds capacity with new and veteran health directors and continues to lead in the health arena.
